The crowd gasped on Tuesday night when Miss P upset heavily favoured Matisse, a Portuguese water dog born in Arthur, Ont., and Swagger, an Old English sheepdog, who came second in 2013, according to The Associated Press.

Other contenders included a Toronto poodle named Flame, and a shih tzu owned by heiress Patty Hearst.

Four-year-old Miss P's grand-uncle, Uno, was the only previous beagle to win top dog at Westminster, in 2008.

The best in show title doesn't come with any cash, but it does bring potentially lucrative breeding rights — as well as bragging rights.

Miss P — who is called Peyton — has won best in show 20 times at other events in the U.S., said AP.

Enderby mayor Greg McCune said he hopes to throw a parade for the Okanagan city's "most famous person."

“I think it’s awesome — really exciting. It was pretty much a surprise to everyone here,” he told The Vancouver Sun. Enderby has a population of about 3,000 people.